Behavioural Flexibility - How To Fix It When Nothing Works
Have you ever tried to change your life, improve your health, maybe lose some weight – but nothing works? This is a common experience, but with a little trick called behavioural flexibility, you can get back on track.
Does this sound familiar?
“I’m going to the gym every single day, but I’m still not losing weight!”
“I’ve been on this super strict (raw vegan/vegan/keto/Paleo/low carb/clean) diet, but I’m not seeing any difference!”
“Whenever I’ve needed a health kick, I’ve always done (insert diet or lifestyle change) here. But this time, I’m not seeing any improvements?”
As humans, we get stuck in our habits and safety zone. When something doesn’t work anymore, it can freak us out!
But the thing is that you have changed over time. Your genetics, DNA, lifestyle, environment, even your stage of life have all shifted over the years. So it’s natural for some things to not be a fit for you right now.
If you’ve ever experienced this, there’s a good chance that you got fed up with ‘failing’ and went straight back to your brie and bottle of wine! But the good news is that you can find what works for you – you just need to practice a little behavioural flexibility.
What it behavioural flexibility?
This is about being flexible with our approach and have a look at what really works for us right now. Give yourself some time to step back and observe what isn’t working, so you can decide what would work instead.
It’s about not becoming attached to one way of living, moving and eating. Our beliefs and thoughts need to change as we learn more about nutrition and health. This is something that I’ve experienced over and over as a naturopath – the more I learn, the more I adapt my own approach to health!
You also want to make sure you look at what works for YOU – not everyone else. Your body makeup is unique based on your entire life experience, your genetics and any health conditions you have. Just because a raw food diet works for your best friend doesn’t mean it will be a fit for you.
It’s not the end of the world to take 2 weeks off and review your approach. You won’t go back to square 1, and you will end up wasting less time trying to make something work that isn’t a fit.
If you need it, this is your permission slip to take a break. Step back, take a look at how your body is responding. Be open to what is going to help you feel good in your body, even if it’s not something you’ve done before.